tefliz.com Level: B2 (Upper-Intermediate)
Skills: Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing
Theme: How a drug helps treat a condition, its side effects, and patient communication
Objectives
By the end of this lesson, the student will be able to:
- Understand a simplified abstract or summary of a drug study
- Describe how a drug works using common medical vocabulary
- Explain risks and benefits in spoken conversation
- Write a short explanation for a general (non-expert) audience
1. Warm-Up Discussion (5–7 mins)
Prompt Questions:
- Have you ever heard of Ozempic or Semaglutide?
- Why do doctors sometimes use the same drug for different conditions (e.g. diabetes and weight loss)?
- What kind of information do patients need before starting a new drug?
2. Reading Task: Simplified Study Summary (15 mins)
Material: Use a shortened and simplified version of a real Ozempic study.
You can say:
“A study showed that Semaglutide, a drug originally for type 2 diabetes, also helps people lose weight. In the study, participants who took the drug lost an average of 15% of their body weight in 68 weeks. The most common side effects were nausea and diarrhoea.”
Tasks:
- Highlight: What condition is the drug for? What else does it help with?
- Fill in a short chart:
- Drug name:
- What it treats:
- Average weight loss:
- Side effects:
3. Listening Task (10–12 mins)
Source: BBC News Explainer – “What is Ozempic?” (YouTube) or similar
(Use subtitles and slow the speed to 0.75 if needed)
1. Pre-Watch Setup
- Briefly ask: “What do you know about Ozempic and why it’s in the news?”
2. Watching Task
- Use subtitles and slow playback to 0.75× speed if needed.
- Listening focus:
- Pinpoint who uses Ozempic and why.
- Find one benefit mentioned and one mention of risk or side effect.
3. Comprehension / Discussion Questions
- Who might take Ozempic according to the video?
- What potential benefit beyond weight loss is mentioned?
- What caution or risk does the report highlight?
4. Speaking Extension
- Let the student summarize the video in their own words:
- Explain what the drug is, key benefits, and any concerns.
5. Optional Writing Task
- Ask for a short paragraph (50–70 words):
- “Describe what the video said about Ozempic.”
Tasks
- Listen and answer:
- Who is using Ozempic and why?
- What does the speaker say about the risks?
- Follow-up: What is one concern doctors have?
4. Speaking Task (15–20 mins)
Scenario Role Play:
- You are a pharmacist. A patient wants to know how Ozempic works and whether it’s safe.
Student prepares notes using this structure:
- What is the drug for?
- How does it work?
- What are two benefits?
- What are two common side effects?
- Any warning/advice?
Encourage use of:
- “It helps to…” / “It may cause…”
- “Some patients experience…”
- “This medicine is not recommended if…”
5. Writing Task (10–12 mins)
Task:
Write a short paragraph (80–100 words) explaining Ozempic to a new patient.
Prompt:
Imagine a friend is starting this medicine. Write an email or short note explaining what it does, why it was prescribed, and what side effects to watch for.
Key Vocabulary for This Lesson
- type 2 diabetes
- weight loss
- injection
- appetite
- side effect
- nausea / vomiting / diarrhoea
- effective / recommended
- risk / benefit / dosage
Optional Homework
- Read a short patient leaflet and underline all side effect terms
- Research one other medicine and describe its use and effects in your own words
- Record a 1-minute explanation: “What is Ozempic and why do people use it?”